Muvluv Alternative: The Inbetween
by ProphetDawn
Summary: In the aftermath of the Kyoto invasion, The United States breaks its treaty with Japan and withdraw its presence from the island. With Yokohama now occupied by the Beta the individuals of the UN 127th Storm Wolves prepare for the coming operation that will determine Humanity's fate for the foreseeable future.
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Needed to fix some inconsistencies that didn't match with canon.

**Chapter one**

Yustina Telep wasn't sure at what point during her career she could honestly say she'd adapted to the frantic reality of combat. The determination to keep pushing yourself well after your body's hit its limit, the mental strength to endure horrors set before you that no living person should see. War was a different kind of hell, but a hell none of the less. For anyone not hardened to the demands of being a Surface Pilot, or rather a soldier to their core, they would have had gone clinically insane. At times, Yustina felt she too could break from living in the constant, hellish nightmare. If not for the few threads she desperately clung to for her sanity she would have succumbed long ago. These threads were any man or woman in a Tactical Surface Fighter who would appreciate having in the thickness of battle.

Her senses within the tube-like cockpit of her F-16 were constrained to what was displayed before her eyes. The Direct Interface feed focused every bit of critical information needed to her. The thumping sound of her assault cannons firing in unison mixed with the whistling sound of flying shells and debris around, he clamor of her teammates shouting over the comm channel, and the statics and white noise...all of it were important to remember but secondary to the Beta charging at them from multiple angles.

"Come at me, you sodding bitches!" Rob roared over the comms, the barrel of his assault cannon spout fire and lead at the grappler-strain charging him on the right of their three-man formation. The alien fell, crashing into the dirt and trees.

"Wolf Three, pay attention!" Olivia was quick to rebuke him before Yustina could. Olivia's F-16 was back between the two in the kneeling position, her assault cannon ready to pick off anything that got in her cross-hairs.

Yustina swung her dual assault cannons to the left at a small group Beta advancing toward them.

"Focus fire, 11 o'clock!" She barked on the comms. Rob and Olivia adjusted swiftly and the three unleashed a flurry of gunfire that made quick of the nauseating mass of creatures. Grapplers fell with the leaded encouragement and the tanks that scurried under their bigger brethren popped like blood balloons. Viscera coated the trees and whatever modern architecture stood nearby.

The radar pinged with red as another group rushed at them dead on just as they finished off the last group. Again, Yustina shouted the command, and the formation adjusted to compensate. Another ping; a lone straggler charging from the right toward Rob's F-16.

"Wolf three!" Yustina called out. Thankfully to her relief, he was already on it. As in anticipation, Rob's F-16 threw its shield arm at the Beta just as it launched its pincer and parried the grappler's attack. He tucked within its reach, stuffing the end of assault cannon's smoothbore extension into the front the alien and fired a 120mm sabot, bisecting the grappler down the middle and piercing through trees and part of a building. Yustina and Olivia easily dealt with the other advancing horde of smaller strains.

"Rot in hell!" Rob spat as his F-16 rippled off the pincer arm from his shield, blood spraying from the corpse.

The 127th Storm Wolves were part of the 57th Battalion the UN 11th force could spare to aid the Imperial Japanese Army with Kyoto's evacuation. The 57th had suffered critical damage from their part of Operation Gwangju. While they suffered no causalities, the battalion was put into an intensive state of repair and only until recently were they declared ready to deploy.

The IJF had been eyeing the Beta nervously since the aliens made landfall on their island. With the help of the UN and the US forces, Defenses were reinforced and hardened around the capital as the invaders approached. Stopping them at all cost was paramount in every Japanese soldier's mind. The hope was that a hard-line of TSFs and zeal would somehow be enough to hold back the tide. It was not even close; It was an unmitigated disaster. The month-long defense of Japan's one thousand year capital cost the defenders grievously. The lion share of manpower the UN was able to muster after Gwangju had been lost, either KIA or rescued from the battlefield.

The night sky over the decimated Kyoto blazed with ordnance fire of all kind. Beta laser coverage had died down some time ago and now and then they would see the specters of American Tomcats flying overhead. The defense line composed of mainly IJF with sparse elements of UN on the outer reaches of Kyoto leading into the rest of Japan, fighting off the Beta tooth and nail. The plan: try to buy its decimated defenders time to evacuate.

The 57th Battalion had arrived that afternoon and split into groups to help reinforce spots in the line. 1st Lieutenant Yustina Telep with 2nd lt Rob Grants and Olivia Alexandria were stationed a Buddhist temple that still stood...somehow. With only adrenaline and resupply pods keeping them and the other defenders afloat, It was a continuous slug fest since minute one. No rest was given... never with the Beta involved.

"Bloody hell! Why are all the Beta just rushing our spot on the line!" Rob yelled in-between weapons fire.

"Maybe they heard we'd be here, Only logical reason. We are kind of famous." Olivia jabbed at their situation as more grapplers, mixed with tanks, advanced at them.

"Shite! Why did I have to be popular with these assholes?"

"Just imagine them as girls, Wolf Three."

"Sod off, Four!"

"You two knock it off!" Yustina barked over the line, like a mother to her two children. "Keep the local channel clear!"

She primed a canister round, letting the distance between the horde and them cook as the other two laid down fire. Satisfied, she pulled the trigger. The canister round exploded overhead and showered projectiles down on the beta below. Tanks fell immediately, a few grapplers collapsed to the dirt with shredded legs. Some of the Beta survived and attempted to move on by succumbed to their wounds. Yustina was to fire another round at another charging group when multiple IJF TSFs, Gekishins, and Kagerous, swung around from the sides and engaged the aliens with assault cannons blaring and melee halberds swinging.

"Storm Wolves, take a breather! We've got your backs!" The portrait of the IJF lead unit popped it on her display.

"Appreciated, Razor Wing!" Yustina swiftly responded. "Wolf Three and Four, take a breather and report!" She called out.

Both 2nd lieutenants Rob Grants and Olivia Alexandria chimed in.

"I have two magazines left," Olivia stated, her cheery demeanor belaying the grimness of the situation. Her bright eyes framed by her suntanned features.

"Same, but I'm almost out of 'big boy' rounds, Wolf Two," Rob reported. "I'm surprised we have this much ammo left. Things normally go to shite fast for us."

"Maybe lady luck is giving us a wink?" Olivia suggested playfully.

"Oh, why do you want to curse us like that?" The man palmed his forehead. "Its bad luck to say that kind of stuff in the middle of a battle."

While the two went back and forth, Yustina checked her reserves. She operated the support arm by her F-16' shoulder to switch out an empty mag for a fresh one.

"Speaking of which has anyone heard word from the others?" Rob pointed out.

"Wolf One and Five are further along the north. Their vitals are still green." Yustina reminded him.

Rob's face twisted with annoyance," I know that. I meant the other squadrons. I haven't seen anyone from the Black Knights or Steel Fists since we landed."

The point gave her pause. It had been too long since they heard from the 227th or the 163rd. They were defending points well out of the normal communication range.

"They're veteran units; they're more than capable of taking care of themselves. Just focus on the now, Wolf Three." Yustina remarked.

The other merely frowned, his otherwise somber, dull expression complemented by his gray combed hair twisted even more. "Roger, Wolf Mama. "

The portraits flickered off. Yustina sighed, taking a moment for herself and relaxed in the seat as the support arm finished. She wiped away the sweat from her forehead, her blonde-ashen bangs getting muffled by the exterior material clamped around her hand. Her gaze drifted to the picture of her family within the different cockpit, only to be captured by the buzz of her communications tack.

"HQ to Wolf 2." A Japanese voice broke over the line from IJF HQ.

She readjusting her posture in the seat."Wolf two HQ, I read you loud and clear." The translator picked up on the woman's language and converted it into proper English.

"Wolf 2, take your flight and reinforce the defense line at these coordinates by Lake Biwa. We are adjusting the defense perimeter inward to assist the evac teams." Her hud brought up a map of the region and a designated way-point

"Roger, HQ. Wolf two out!" Yustina affirmed.

As Yustina relayed the orders to the other two and quickly opened a channel to Razor Wing.

"Wolf Two to Razor Wing. We're moving up the highway now."

"Roger, we'll stay here for a bit and cover you. Make sure our people get out!"

"Roger! Godspeed, Razor Wing!"

The wolves shifted back and engaged their thrust pylons to elevate and cruise at travel speed. The IJF that stayed behind filled the gap in their absence. The TSF's ability for travel was a Godsend when the skies were clear. Yustina thought to owe thanks to whoever allowed them that privilege tonight. The three came low for a landing by a train station by the highway midpoint between Kyoto and the lake. The center point of the defensive line where the bulk of the IJF forces dug in.

Beta corpses littered the ground throughout. The insurmountable numbers of their enemy left the battlefields layered with their own dead. So much so that unless it was a fresh battle or the area was wide enough, distinguishing human casualties that weren't TSF units between the fields of flesh was difficult. As the three began to set themselves into position. Yustina caught sight of the visage of a TSF beneath the corpse of a destroyer class Beta...an F-16. Normally the sight wouldn't phase a battle minded pilot in the heat of battle. But the glimpse of the squadron emblem gave her enough pause; The battered image of a black knight on horseback framed by both sword and shield crossing in an X beneath it, the 227th.

A bitter taste formed in her mouth at the thought. Who was it? It was someone she knew. For now, she pushed it aside and focused on relaying both her teammates into place. Neither Rob nor Olivia had noticed it and it would only serve to distract them by bringing it up. But, the question lingered in her mind if the rest of the Black Knights met a similar fate.

"Same as before! Wolf Three, upfront with me! Wolf Four, the rear!"

The three acted, moving separately but together in swiftness. Yustina and Rob linked up with the rest of the defenders providing much-needed firepower. The front line was consistently hammered by continuous waves of grappler and tanks with supplements of destroyers. The ferocity dealt by the IJF defenders held them at bay, like a lone water barrier against relentless crashing waves during a storm. When assault cannons ran dry, they switched to melee halberds. When halberds broke, they resorted to combat knives. When the knives dulled, they bodied the enemy.

Yustina expended the rest of her canister rounds into the horde before she and Rob took to the offensive. The pair of Wolves knifed through their numbers targeting the exposed meat behind the destroyers charging forward, trampling over the fallen and ramming through trees with no slow down. A few well-placed shots in their exposed fleshy backs were enough to end them. Olivia remained in the back with the other defenders expertly taking out targets.

And as if anticipating the overall stress of the IJF, the waves flexed. Yustina heard the whine of her radar picking up increased numbers. And she saw the silhouettes dancing in the shadows briefly lit up by shell fire well before Rob shouted: "Big bastards on the horizon!"

The towering, overbearing visage of the Fort class strains marched down in lanes over the treetops. Their long, needle-like legs piercing into the ground as they moved.

"Wolf Four, swing around from my opposite! Move!" Yustina ordered and maneuvered her machine to go. Rob followed suit.

"Roger!"

The pair of F-16s broke hard into a jet-powered dash towards the nearest Fort class. Several TSF from the defense line volunteered themselves in dealing with the new menace before they got too close. The sight of a Fort class was a terrible horror by itself; their colossus size betrayed their speed and how dangerous they were. Many pilots fell victim to their whip-like stingers, even experienced ones. But they weren't difficult to take down. Yustina and Rob dipped and weaved as the target whipped its stinger repeatedly at them. Yustina could feel the stinger getting within inches of her machine a few times; Fort-class Beta they were that accurate.

The pair broke off tackling a flank each to see which the alien would focus. It chose Rob. As Rob's F-16 dodge and weaved with the stinger trying to stay ahead of its projected path, Yustina swooped high above the Fort as it turned to face him, and exposed its back to her. She switched over tot he smoothbore with sabots chamber and fired the remaining shots into the in-between flesh of the Fort. The creature lurched wounded, its attacks paused. Rob's F-16 came around overhead and fired another sabot round close to the neck region. The monstrosity collapsed, crushing anything underneath it.

The other friendlies fared with varying results. They swarmed at the Forts as best to their abilities, applying tactics to take down the giants as swiftly as possible. Some of the towering Beta fell, but not without a price. Some pilots met their end at the point of an acid tipped stinger. Their deaths only served to embolden the IJF even more. The pair of wolves swooped around in prep for the next target. Just as she was about to relay orders, a pair of familiar blips appeared on radar from the north.

"Need help, Wolf Two?" Their flight lead popped on the hud, Captain Adam Brinson.

"As always, Wolf One," Yustina returned with an appreciative grin. "Glad to see you two are alright."

"Yeah, same. We've been busting our asses here." Rob's portrait interjected. Olivia did as well. "Glad to see your both still healthy!"

"Sorry for the wait." Wolf Five's popped in on the side, 2nd lt Ryouma Toroyama "We were busy dealing with our own eager quests. Not even the Beta stood a chance against the fire of our passion!"

"Pride before the fall, Wolf Five." Yustina told him.

Ryouma merely grinned widely with his whites, brimming with the usual fire in him. "Confidence is everything, Wolf Mama."

Yustina interior groaned at that nickname. Both Adam and Ryouma's F-16s swooped down toward a Fort from the sky at max speed. Adam drew the attention of the Fort's attention while Ryouma, melee halberds in hand, darted through slashing the gaps in the Fort's armor, zipping all around the alien until it collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Together now with Adam and Ryouma, Yustina and Rob continued in taking down Fort strains, grinding their numbers down.

The battle rage on what seemed longer than what it was. Despite the best efforts by the Storm Wolves and the IJF, they could not push back the tide indefinitely. The Beta was ceaseless, dulled to their losses, and the ferocity of the humans' defenders. Ammo reserves began to run dry, and the number of friendlies steadily began to decrease. The sea was slowly battering the barrier down.

The Storm Wolves had congregated to a central point on the line providing concentrated defense when the IJF HQ broke out on all channels.

"Attention all units! Evacuations have completed, retreat along the primary escape routes asap. Coastal bombardment will commence in t-minus 240 seconds!"

"You heard the lady! Move!" Adam gave the order.

Already the IJF forces were pulling out. Yustina held back a bit as the other wolves were making their leave providing them cover with the remainder of her ammo. As Olivia's F-16 its way out, Yustina urged her machine to turn and follow...and was met with an unexpected shift in weight, and her F-16 buckled onto one knee. Yustina bore it the sudden drop with a grunt. Immediately damage readouts popped up her hud; the left knee joint gave out.

_'What the hell...' _Was the only Was the battle wear on her machine becoming too much?. She found little time to ponder as her senses alerted her to a charging grappler class. Yustina urged her machine back, the thrust pylons igniting enough to push her away from the grappler's claw swipe...and then a second later her elevation dipped. Her F-16 hit the ground hard and skid against the dirt at an angle, knocking over trees. She quickly cut the thrust before the TSF could finish its imperfect circle, slamming into a halt. Yustina desperately scrambled to urge her machine up and level her assault cannon as the grappler came at her again, ignoring the new error window.

Not waiting for a target lock, she held the trigger down and fired whatever was remaining in the mag. The barrel pitched high and the grappler's head like appendage exploded in a gush of blood. The alien staggered, stumbling swinging its pincers around trying to hit its mark. She cursed, completely out of ammo she ditched the assault cannon and switched over to grab the combat.

"Hold on I got you!" Olivia's F-16 swung around from the side, placing herself between Yustina and the grappler and fired in full auto center mass and putting the alien down for good. As more grappler strains appeared, the other wolves came in to assist. Ryouma came thundering down overhead with a war cry and impaled one grappler with his sword. Rob swung around Yustina's right side, feinting its claw swipe and punched his shield in return. The explosive charges near the end exploded, shredding the creature into bits.

"Wolf Two, are you hurt?" Adam landed by Yustina's machine.

"I'm fine!" Yustina returned, calming herself down. "I don't know what happened."

"Can you fly?"

Yustina checked the log, finally reading the error message logged by her system."Negative. My left jump unit gave out!"

Adam's dropped his TSF's shield and extended a hand to her. Yustina urged her machine's hand to do the same and she felt her entire TSF pick up. Adam curled an arm under the shoulder. Rob caught on and did the same with the other, mumbling under his breath, "bloody hell... It's one thing after another."

"We'll figure it out later. Let's just get the hell out of here!" The Captain barked.

"I couldn't agree more!" Yustina added, feeling the weight of the machine being ferried off into the air. Even with the fortified suit providing the needed protection against the G's lifting of the forces at work on her body was still significant. The other wolves joined shortly after, and the last remnants of IJF completely withdrew with the last transport from Kyoto far enough away. The total forces congregated into a flock and flew eastbound along the designated escape route.

Yustina flipped the cameras over for a quick backside view, and slowly counted the time down until bombardment commenced... what else could she do at that moment. Right on queue, space, the former line they and the IJF held so dearly erupted in a concentrated fire of naval ordinance. Bodies of Beta flew up in the air, scattered and ripped apart by vengeful naval fire. The shells slowly moved into the heart of the city and peppered it. Several large explosions occurred tearing apart whatever structural integrity it had left to sunder. It was certainly too big for navel ordinance to cause. The sight wowed her. There was mention about the defenders rigging whatever ammo stores were left to explode.

"Damn. I can almost feel the shock waves from this distance," Rob commented. "They had that much firepower left in Kyoto? What a bloody waste."

"Yeah...it truly is." Olivia ceded somberly.

A soft sigh emitted from Ryouma's end on the channel. The video feed framed head hanging low, eyes shut, to moment for what was most definitely a significant loss for him and the rest of his countrymen. Yustina relaxed against the seat, just happy that they made it out in one piece. She then began to bring up the error logs to recount what had happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The traveling time to Sendai felt short only because Yustina occupied herself during the transit. She had compared the timestamps of the warning messages with what she recalled during the fight. With the exception of the Fort-class' stingers coming too close for comfort, there were no other close saves or brushes. She wasn't an egotist about her own piloting skills, but she was damn sure of it. She even double-checked to see if, even how unlikely, any of the Fort Beta's acid had splattered onto her machine. Nothing.

Perhaps it was ultimately just outside of her own hands. TSFs were machines and machines could wear down, and break even with the best of maintenance by human hands. Yustina ceded any further attempt and relaxed for a moment in the seat, but not to rest. She felt too wired. Her gaze drifted back to the family picture again.

The time was roughly between 0300 and 0400 when they arrived at the IJF base in Sendai on the 14th of August. The night sky was lit with every light source a few miles on. The Storm Wolves were directed away with some of the other IJF units to an open field close by. Yustina, via support cameras, saw other machines with them; some with crippling damaged and were ferried by their comrades and others in far worse shape.

The shift in speed and weight was felt as Adam and Rob came to a slow and landed. Yustina manipulated the controls as they eased her machine down, urging her F-16 to kneel on its good knee.

"Meet us outside." Adam radioed to her.

Yustina affirmed and keyed in the sequence to power down. The direct interface powered down, the HUD flickering off her pupils. The terminal dyed with a soft hum and reduced the ambient light within the tube. The cockpit hatch slid forward and almost immediately Yustina felt a gust of wind caress her bare face inside the tube-like compartment. It felt cool, refreshing compared to the stale air she'd be recycling inside the cockpit. She stepped to the hatch, keeping points of contact on the sides of the hatch and inhaled deeply the night air.

The scene was amazing; the dozens of tens of utility base lights illuminated the sky that turned what was black into a warm purple. And so perfectly did it make visible the many TSF lumbering about in the yard of the Sendai base. From her viewpoint high it looked like the IJF had directed them to the side away from the main body of the force. She rode down the pulley to the ground, touching the grass. She undid the tie that held her long braided hair in place and let it free fall. Adam and Rob had set their F-16s on the sides of her further apart.

She made out the captain walking up to her first in the lit shadows.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She gave a shrug, "A few bruises and bumps. Same as always."

"Our Mother Wolf is sturdy, of course, she's alright." Rob sardonically added as he came up from behind. "But then I doubt an injury would keep her down."

"Of course, I need to mother the lot of you from doing something stupid." returned with her own sardonic flavor.

Rob just shrugged and crossed his arms briefly.

"So, where is Chakita and Mt Fuji?"

"Their TSFs landed further down the line that away closer with the IFA," Adam pointed point towards the increasingly congregated line of machines.

The three started towards the collective formation of the IJF in the. Already the main hangers were congested, and so those who couldn't find a spot were directed to the yard. With the ambient light sources spotting two United Nations F-16s among the others wouldn't be difficult. The IJF units stood proudly, those who could stand. The ones that weren't incapable moved behind the formation where they received mechanical attention first. Yustina wasn't a stranger to the aftermath of battles with the Beta, but the conditions of some emerging from the more wrecked machines still churned her a bit inside. Medical Staff hurried the wounded to hospital tents areas and the pilots that could drag themselves went to designated relief areas.

Not too far down they spotted the two remaining wolves moving towards them. It wasn't a hard miss; Ryouma was the living embodiment that dispelled the myth that all Japanese were short. His towering form made a line straight down the shifting bodies, and Olivia followed closely behind him. Ryouma called out as they grew closer.

"Hey!"

"1nd Lt, are you alright?" Olivia hurried up to her to check her. Yustina brushed her off, "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"I'm fine too, Alexandria...just so You are wondering," Rob added.

"Of course you are Grants. Why would I be concerned? Nothing can penetrate that ol sourness of yours." Olivia said with a devilish grin to it. Rob shot a frown in return.

The wolves made their way to one of the tents. A collective air of relief washed over them as they were finally given a chance to decompress and rest. Medics quickly came to give the UN squadron a look over. Yustina was sitting down on a container for a seat when a young medic checked her out.

"I'm fine..." She told the young native, who was surely testing her patience with her careful approach of testing her limbs and inquires. The young woman looked at her oddly.

"I don't understand..."

Yustina slapped her self mentality. The usefulness of the translator was convinced that often made her forget that not everyone had it, or spoke the international language. " I said I'm fine. Nothing's broken or anything, see?" she flexed and arm up and down in show. The medic frowned, offering an apologetic nod with it.

"Forgive me," The medic bowed her head. "Our orders were to see that you and your people were fine. Ma'am."

Yustina relented with a tired sigh. That's another thing she hated feeling; being babied when she was perfectly fine. She let the young girl continue, not saying another word and letting her gaze drift under the camp at the others. Her attention was directed at Adam...speaking what looked like an IJF Major. The two men spoke for a bit before breaking off.

"What was that about, Captain?" She asked as Adam walked towards her, the medic having finished her task and departed.

"Imperial Command was getting in touch with me for a debrief tomorrow." He explained, "Also Chitose was kind enough to send some of the mechanics our way. They should be here sometime after tomorrow morning."

"Hey, Captain. Did they mention anything about the other squadrons?" Rob asked. His features worn with tiredness but still alert enough. "I didn't see any other UN IFF when we were coming in or heard any chatter on comms. And I'm bloody sure neither one of us has."

There was silence. Yustina's mind shifted to the visage of the Black Knight under the destroyer corpse.

Adam faced him fully. "No, nothing from the Japanese at all." Rob rose to his feet to speak but others cut him off. "Personal are still coming in. It's going to be a long night. We can check tomorrow." He offered.

Rob lowered his gaze to the dirt, his expression slightly tense. He nodded and sat back down.

"Let's get some sleep, wolves! Tomorrow's bound to be a long day for us!"

The other wolves murmured a response, surely lacking in the vigor before. Yustina was feeling slow, tire. The adrenaline that coursed through her nearly all day was finally subsiding. When the other medics left, The squadron found themselves spots under the tent. She laid herself against the container and cushioned her hands against the back of her hair. Eyelids growing heavy as she stared into the canopy, her body easing to a crawl, the loud clamor becoming distant and oddly soothing to listen. Her mind wondered about her family and how they were doing before darkness finally took her gently.

Sunrise broke over the horizon relatively calm. The churn and grind of overnight crews finally died down as personal finally were given relief by secondary crews. UN crews arrived sometime before the crack of dawn and began tending to their F-16s. Yustina and Adam were up first before the others. They went out to speak with IJF leadership, meeting up with the Major that greeted Adam last night. The Japanese were still compiling a casualty list of their losses from yesterday. They had very little information about the missing UN teams besides personal accounts from their own forces.

A member of the 227th Black Knights suffered grievous injuries and rescued by friendly IJF for medical care relatively early. The remaining members were unaccounted for. The 163rd Steel Fists were stationed by the Wazuka Line and held a hard defense there with other Imperial flights. Nearly all units were reported KIA with the exception of a pair of Gekishins that made it back. The two remained silent as they walked back to the tent area. Perhaps in part of respect to their fallen, but she herself was still processing the information, and the same was more so for her Captain who knew the seniors of both flights. When they returned the other wolves were up. Adam relayed to them the news.

The Wolves started their day with breakfast, compliments from the Imperial Japanese Force. The food given to surface pilots were scientifically engineered to offer the most energy and nutrients for the body. And for a surface pilot diet was just one of many crucial factors for performance. Yustina's stomach rumbled at the sight of the air sealed bag. She said a quick prayer to herself and pulled at the seeing, hiding her eagerness to see what she got...

Her features twisted with the same sourness a kid being served vegetables.

"What did you get?" Olivia asked inquisitively.

"Tuna," Yustina resisted the urge to gag. She covertly scanned the others and what they got...for a trade, she hoped.

"Want to trade, Olivia?" She beckoned.

"I got spam. I'm keeping this one," Olivia told her.

"Ryouma?" She pleaded.

"I also got tuna," Ryouma grinned sheepishly.

She turned to Rob. She opened her mouth to-

"Sod off, I've called dibs!" Rob growled before biting savagely into his mackerel.

Yustina beamed daggers at him.

"Don't be so picky, 1st Lt. Tuna is good for the brain by default." Adam encouraged.

"You are just saying that because you got chicken," Yustina grumpily said.

"I remember my mother's old home cooking back home. I still faintly taste the smell of Picanha Steak whenever we're in the cafeteria back at Chitose." Olivia said, grinning wide like to an old memory.

"Good old fashion rice sounds like a Godsend at this point," Ryouma added.

"Of course! Your body still remembers what real food tastes like, not what's been cooked up in a lab!" Rob added with a thump in his tone. "An uncle of mine used to be a fisherman off the coast of England when I was a kid and he'd bring home some of his catch on occasion. Best damn fish I ever ate.

"While the taste may be found wanting, we must be thankful that we can even eat like this. Plenty of people don't have that luxury," Adam told them.

"Aye, Captain. You're right. " Yustina agreed...on principle. In truth if she could Yustina would chuck the damnable fish. But she needed it...not only for her own body but her role as executive officer of the 127th demanded exemplary acts. She held steadfast...and bit down into her meal. Awful...the sensation to gag was strong. But Yustina managed to push the urge back with sips of water from her own canteen and pushed the sensation back of mind.

The rest kept to themselves eating breakfast, each to their own thoughts in mind. Yustina felt the need to say something at least once, to keep the lighthearted air they had summed going. But decided against it. She could see it on her faces...the news about their cousin flights still wore on them. It was the reality of war and each of them knew it well enough. But it still didn't diminish the effects of losing someone who'd been a daily factor in life, only to disappear a moment later. Yustina knew people both in Flights, not well enough. Any friends she had in them passed away, the rest she knew by proxy through them. She wondered who was the lucky one to get ferried off-field and who was the unlucky one lying underneath the Destroyer.

"We got a visitor, Captain." Ryouma nodded to the direction.

The attire of the man walking up to them under the tent was unmistakable IJF. A short man, about the height of a five and nine inches, combed hair and sharp features dressed in a fortified suit. Adam put aside his meal and stood up from his spot to great him.

"Are you the 127th?" The man asked.

"Captain Adam Brinson, how may I help you?" Adam greeted with a grin.

The man smiled and offered a handshake, "Major Ishigen Ken, Captain. I just wanted to thank those the UN sent to help us."

"Just following orders," Adam gripped the other's hand and shook. "Wish we could have done more, though."

"Your efforts were enough and helped saved a great many deals of the lives of my fellows. To that I am grateful."

The sound of Rob clicking with annoyance was barely audible, and it earned a glance from Yustina.

"By the way, I am to lead you to the debrief, Captain. If you would please follow me."

Adam nodded, "Sure." He turned to Yustina, who immediately perked up.

"1st Lt Telep, get with the mechanics and run a check up on our machines. Have them be thorough, I don't want a repeat of last night."

"Roger, Captain," Yustina nodded.

She watched as Adam and Major Ishigen were further away before she turned to the other wolves and walked over to Rob.

"Got something to say, 2nd Lt Grants?" She demanded, crossing her arms like a mother word at a child who muttered.

Rob eyed her; his face hardened with annoyance. "Nothing, 1st Lt. That guy just annoyed me is all."

"Try and be more tactful next time," she told him. "Alright, let's finish up and get to work!"

Work lasted all morning and bled into the noon as the wolves aided the UN mechanics in routine maintenance and tests. Yustina ran through the steps with the lead mechanic of the 57th. She sat inside the cockpit with the compartment fully out. They had disconnected the jump units and had them mounted on trailers for inspection and had the F-16 itself flat on its back with the left knee openly exposed. The exterior layers were peeled back enough for the senior mechanic to study and prod the insides.

"Okay, Lieutenant, how about now?" Sergeant Kermin called over the comms.

Yustina shifted through the commands and menus on the knee joint. The hud displayed technical information about the limb area with every bit and piece that allowed joint articulation. She had a cursory understanding of what they meant; pilots were required to know every bit and piece of their machines, but Yustina doubted her technical knowledge would ever even compare to a seasoned mechanic's. She shifted through the options until she got to the knee joint actuators. All status still registered as red.

"Nothing. It's still coming up as red."

Kermin cursed under his breath.

"Okay, that's enough for now."

"Alright, I'm dismounting." She keyed off and sighed. She climbed out of the cockpit, hopping off the F-16's forearm, and walked over to the head mechanic.

"Give it to me straight," Yustina said. The disappointment on the man's face as he turned to her surely killed any hope it could have been an easy fix.

"It's bad, Lt. Actuators and the bits that help with weight control have burnt out."

Yustina folded her arms, "That quickly?"

"Apparently so," Kermin shrugged. "Which is damn odd. I installed these months back. And you said they just gave out on you?"

Yustina nodded. "Suddenly and without warning."

The Sergeant gave a contemplative hum.

"Perhaps the parts were bad?"

Kermin gave a short chuckle. "Do you know how insane quality control is for these machines and all of their bits and pieces, Lt, Telep?" He asked, clearly rhetorical. "Every part from the actuators in the Tactical Surface Fighter's hands to the tiniest lenses in the head is put through the ringer dozens of times over before it gets approved to be used as a piece of the whole."

"But it does happen." Yustina pointed out.

Kermin grimaced. "Well...Yeah, can't prevent Murphy's Law. But that's a damn long shot. You surface pilots are fighting honest to God monsters. It would be a disservice to all you surface pilots if we didn't make sure your TSFs perfect.

A mechanic approached them from the service frame with the Jump units carefully mounted and opened.

"Well?" Kermin inquired as the young private stopped.

"The compressor's busted, Sergeant," He said. Taking off his gloves and wiping his hands of sweat. "The way the part went out the lieutenant here is lucky the whole pylon didn't explode during mid-fire."

The older man groaned.

"Let me guess...installed the parts yourself" Yustina added with a dash of sarcasm to it.

"Aye...yeah," He wiped his head. "God...what a freaking disaster.

"Well, I should count myself fortunate," She jested, trying to lighten the mood. " If you don't think its equipment failure, then what are the possibilities it could be sabotage?"

Kermin gave her an odd look. "Are you serious?"

"Just a process of elimination, Sergeant. If you don't feel the problem is natural than perhaps it was artificially induced?"She told him.

The Sergeant nodded understanding. "I get ya, but by whom? Who's crazy enough to try to infiltrate military-grade security, within the heart of Japanese land and in the thickness of United Nations military posts, to sabotage us?"

"A good amount of people, Sergeant." The private interjected.

Kermin gave him a look as if he stepped on a land mind.

"You don't hear about it much but there have been a couple of cases of the disenfranchised deliberately committing acts of sabotage on military installations."

Yustina cocked a brow, "You speak as you've experienced it."

The private nodded. "I had a mate from basic who suffered a leg injury with an immigrant slipped a small bomb into his transport. No one died, but nearly everyone was hospitalized. I say he suffered the least of it."

"Wait, you are talking about refugees?" The Sergeant huffed at the notion. "Don't be stupid. They don't have the means or the know-how to pull of anything sophisticated such as this! What you are describing is basic terrorism."

"But Sergeant, it does prove that people can do surprising things out of desperation or blind faith. There's been word on the wind lately about fanatics that think Beta is divine judgment."

"...What now?" Yustina repeated. The idea was damn ridiculously to the ears.

The young man continued, "Zealots. Basically, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, but I hear it's mainly Christians who believe this sort of thing."

"Well, I don't know about over people, but I can say I'm no fanatic, private," Justina said dryly with a bit of sardonic.

There was an awkward pause. The point obviously didn't hit the young man...until it did. "Oh, I'm sorry ma'am! I didn't mean you!"

"It's fine." Yustina neatly unhooked her arms to raise a hand to him. She then faced the other. "Sergeant, how soon can you get me back to combat-ready?"

Kermin sighed, brushing the side of his aging hair.

"If the Japanese are kind enough to lend us a spot in a hanger and parts, and if everything else is fine in the Falcon, including the stress wear ...four days at best. "

Yustina hid the curling of a frown. "Understood, keep me posted. I'm going to check up on the others." she nodded to him and walked off. In her peripheral, she could see the sergeant giving the private a slight pop on the head.

Yustina made a sweep on the others at their F-16s and get an update. All of the TSFs had various degrees of stress and minor damage to the frames but nothing preventing them immediate deployment if need be...unlike her own. It was likely that command would keep them here for the foreseen future. The Beta had a well-placed foot in the door now and every effort would be used against them. Approaching Ryouma's F-16, Olivia caught her off guard from the side, carrying a small bag. She reached in and tossed her a plastic sealed sandwich.

"Lunch! Compliments from the Sendai mess halls."

Yustina tentatively eyed the food, but not appetizingly. Her stomach still felt full from earlier. "Thanks," She said, not to be rude.

"Do you know where Grants was last seen?"

"Yes, he's still by his F-16 last I saw him not too long ago."

"Thanks!" Olivia smiled and went off down the line.

Yustina stepped over to Ryouma's TSF and found the man leaning underneath the shade of his machine against its ankle staring off outward.

"Doing fine, 2nd Lt?" Yustina broke the atmosphere with a question. The big man turned to her.

"Hey, 1st Lt! It's going by fine!"

"Something wrong?"

"Ah, no. Just thinking." He paused, his eye targeting her occupied hand. "Going to eat that?"

"Nope, all yours." She tossed him the sandwich. The big man easily ripped the plastic apart and scarfed it down.

"Did 2nd Lt Alexandria already give you one?"

"Yeah. A growing boy needs everything it can get. Plus, you never know when your next meal will be your last."

Yustina grinned, shaking her head. "Hmm. Well, how is your machine fairing?"

Ryouma pushed off the metal and fully turned to face her. "Moderate combat strain on the frame, so more in the arms. Both halberds need to be replaced."

Yustina frowned, "Again?"

He let out a laugh, "Yeah. I even surprised myself."

"I'm equally amazed that you didn't cause your machine's arms to fly off in mid-swing," Yustina rolled her eyes. "You know that bit about swords never running out of ammo only applies if they can still cut, Toroyama."

The bigger man shrugged his shoulders, grinning confidently, "Just means I did a good job."

"Well, that's not false..."

"So, what was the prognosis on your bird, Lt?" Ryouma returned with his own inquiry.

"Bad knee actuators and a bad compressor in the jump unit. Mechanics say I'm lucky the thing didn't explode on me last night, "Yustina told him.

Ryouma hummed. "Can they fix it?"

"Of course, it's just going to take days..." She vented with a huff.

"You sound annoyed," he pointed out.

"Isn't it obvious?" Yustina remarked. Of course, she was, how could she not be? It wasn't the amount of the time it would take or shifting blame onto the mechanics to speed up the process. No, it was just the simple feeling of uselessness beset by circumstances not of her control. If the Beta attacked now the best Yustina could do, as she thought, was to be a decoy, unable to properly fight and unable to keep up with her teammates. It was a childish feeling and one an executive officer shouldn't carry.

"Are you really fine, Toroyama?" The young woman shifted the conversation, her tone lacking the irritation a moment ago.

Ryouma paused briefly. "You mean Kyoto..." He folded his arms and leaned against the machine once more. "Feels like it's a dream to be honest. "He glanced at her briefly. "I'll be fine. Honestly, I'm more depressed about the lives lost than the city."

Yustina nodded understandingly silent. Leaving Ryouma for the moment, she was off to compile a report for the squadron when in her periphery she saw one of the mechanics running up to her...the same one that was with Sergeant Kermit. The young came to a halt, falling to his knees out of breath. Before a word could be uttered, the young blurted out between gasps for air. "lieutenant! Fighting! Come quickly!"

Yustina followed the private with Ryouma not too far behind. They were close by the trio of F-16's when they saw the thin circle of onlookers surrounding people in the center. Yustina's fear was affirmed by familiar cursing and yelling. She pushed against the thin wall of onlookers, catching Rob and an IJF surface pilot barely being held back by others.

"Grants, stop it!" Olivia yelled. The Brazilian had her arks wrapped around Rob's midsection and pushed him back, barely keeping him from rushing the other man. But her pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You want another one you bloody rice sipping bastard?!" Rob growled as he tried to break out of her hold.

The other growled something in Japanese. Given the scene tone, it was something equally harsh.

"What the hell is going on here!" Yustina bellow a roar that caught the attention of both men, marching to the middle of the circle, closer to Rob.

"Nothing, 2nd Lt. Just teaching this guy some humility was all," Rob told her, wiping his mouth.

"He insulted the Emperor and the Shogunate!" The other spoke aloud. Another IJF pilot was holding him back

"Look, wanker! All I said was perhaps throwing yourself into the sodding bastards on blind zeal probably isn't working out well for you. But that requires critical thought which you buggers clearly don't possess!"

"A foreigner like you has to no right to question what our way of life! We don't need you Americans here!" The other man shot back.

"Considering us foreigners are out here dying for your soil I think we're bloody well entitled to our opinion you rice brained git!" Rob growled. At this point, he was practically foaming at the mouth. "And who the hell said I was American? I'm British, sake sucking lightweight shit! But I guess all gaijin look to same to you!"

Veins on the Japanese pilot's temple were visible enough to be red. But as he about to speak, Ryouma cut in and stood directly in front of him. Yustina couldn't tell if the man was stunned just by how big Ryouma was or was just anticipating a possible beat down. But instead, Ryouma began formerly, bow with respect.

"Before you say anything else, please hear me out. I apologize for the careless words of my friend."

Rob tried to save something but Olivia quickly clamped his mouth shut with her hand.

"We've all been through a lot over the last twenty-four hours and we've suffered a great deal of loss against the Beta. Please forgive my friend in this instance. It will not happen again." The manner of which Ryouma spoke, the humbleness in his words without a hint of boastful pride she had known him for. He was trying his best to kiss ass and she surely prayed it would work...and like that the tenseness in the other man's face ebbed and completely drained away.

The man merely nodded his head, muttering something, and walked away. His friend seemed equally befuddled by what had occurred and merely resigned as well. Shortly then the onlookers dispersed as well.

"Holy shit that worked..." Olivia gaped.

The bigger man turned back with a big grin. "Yeah... kinda surprised myself it worked that well."

Rob tore the hand from his mouth, sneering and wriggling out of Olivia's arm hold. "You should have let me pounded his face in, Mt., Fuji. Maybe it would have knocked some sense into him."

"Not another word!" Yustina turned with a snap, getting into his face. "March to back of your Falcon, 2nd Lt Grants! Now!"

"Okay, okay!" Rob did as he was told and moved briskly.

Yustina curtly put Ryouma in charge and left the other two as she followed Rob behind his TSF. Partway, she stopped and spotted Rob's outer layer jacket hanging on the pulley to the control unit. Thinking for a moment she went over and reached into the pocket, finding a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She grabbed both and proceeded over behind the machine.

Rob stood behind the heel of his F-'16 murmuring in slang and occasionally kicking the metal.

"Do you want to tell me what the hell you were doing there, Grants? Were you intended to start an incident!" Yustina demanded.

"Yeah, that was the idea. It's not like our sodding hosts give enough of a damn about our lives or anyone else', let alone their own!" Rob sharply shot back. "They care more about their own personal honor! And we're dying for it, leaving behind widows and bastards!" His balled fist rose and slammed furiously against the metal.

Yustina took a moment to herself as she walked up and offered him the pack and lighter. Rob eyed it and her.

"Take a moment and relax. It's hard to think straight when you're worked up like this." Yustina said.

"Is this an order?" Rob asked, uncertain at first of the intent.

"...A suggestion." She offered.

The other man carefully took them, turned his back, and lit a cigarette. The length of the cig shortened with ash as the man inhaled and let out a huge puff, sighing with the same satisfaction a drinker would at the bottom of a glass. She wrinkled her nose, slightly averting her face from the smoke. She never found the appeal in smoking and always thought of it poorly. The fumes smelt of a sickly cherry-like flavor.

"Bloody hell...America really makes the best shit in the world. They know how to make a decent smoke."

Yustina joined Rob as he slid against the back of the heel and sat on the ground with a bit of distance between em, remaining silent and allowing her squadmate to unwind.

"So, talk to me. What happened?" Yustina asked.

"Are you asking as a friend or as my superior?" Rob returned with his own.

"No rank, Rob," she gently smiled to assure him.

The other gave a doubtful frown but relented. He inhaled and let out another cloud, his features relaxed, only shifting a bit to look for words to carry his thoughts.

"...So, I was listening from our wrench jockeys about how the Americans and Japanese were handling the Beta invasion. Private News Network stuff. They said the US wanted to deploy denial tactics and Japan wouldn't allow it. Didn't put much thought about it really...but then I heard some of the Imperial Army jocks started gossiping and such." His brow furrowed a bit, "Talking about how the Americans wanted to handle things. And it just boiled over..."

"Rob, you can't believe what comes down the vines," Yustina told him. The other scuffed.

"C'mon, Yustina. We've been in long enough to know any rumor's just a hair or two away from being fact. The US' signed in bed with Japan and they wanted to handle the Beta as best they knew how. And the damn natives pissed all over them. It's not like they could match the US's years of experience dealing with these bastards."

"I get where you are coming from Rob," Yustina said to him.

"Really? Because it seems no one else does." He took another huff and let his head hang as the vapors escaped from the think crack of his mouth, eyes closed shut.

"There were kids there, Yustina." He finally said, opening his eyes," An all-girls school of samurai I think. And as sure as hell they were made to fight the Beta when they came a bloody knocking. I wonder If any of them made it out..." He scoffed and took another puff. "Would they be alive now if the Japanese listed to the US before Kyoto's invasion? Would all those people who died during the landfall be alive if they listened? What those sent ahead of us to help defend Kyoto? Would our own mates be alive now?"

She found herself at a lack of words. There was nothing she could have said that would assuage him of frustration, no easy fix to the anger from losing good people. Her thoughts returned to those familiar faces in the Knights and Fists for a moment.

"We're all that's left of the battalion, Yustina. Well, except for the sod who got out. Probably crippled at this point," He chuckled sarcastically. We're in a numbers game and the sodding Japanese don't seem to realize that. We're loosing...really badly."

"...I agree with you Rob," Yustina told him. Rob eyed her, as if not entirely sure he heard her the first time. "Our situation of affairs and what we deal with, all of it's shitty. And that's why we need to stay level-headed."

Rob scuffed. "Sounds like a typical textbook answer coming from an XO."

"What do you want me to do about it, then?" Yustina furthered. "Do you want me to protest and refuse service based on principle?"

"I'm not asking anything be done!" Rob snapped. "...I just want to be angry. Don't I have that right? Someone has to be for those who can't."

"You can be, Rob. But not like this. We have to stay level-headed. Its required of us as our duty as surface pilots."

The other sneered and and got up to full height. "That's bloody textbook shite. Do you think William feel the same if you died?"

Yustina hesitated, cold in her tracks. "That is a low blow, Rob."

"Is it?"

Rob started pacing back in forth to mimic a conversation, the trail of smoke mimicking his gestures. "Good day, Mr. Telep. I'm here to tell you that your loving wife, mother of one, died on the battlefield because the wankers in the country she was fighting for didn't give two bleeding shits enough to fight smartly." He stopped on the heel, turning to face her. " Little Arron will have to grow up motherless, knowing she died due to the stupidity of others rather than serving her fellow man and dying valiantly against the enemies of humanity!" He jabbed his smoke hand at her, "You cannot be possibly okay with that!"

Yustina rose up. "Yes. Whether William would or wouldn't isn't important." Rob's features twisted with annoyance. "Because it's what we signed up for, it's our roles to play. We're soldiers in the end. And we need to act and perform to a standard set to us. How and why we die isn't important."

"And you're fine with that?" Rob questioned, meeting her in the eye. And she returned it with conviction.

"...Yes."

Rob gave a short chuckle, took another puff, and let his cigarette hit the dirt below. "Typical XO answer. But I guess that's why your Wolf Two instead of me." He raised his foot and stamped out the embers.

Yustina withheld saying anymore. She couldn't agree anymore with him on his point, and she hated the thought of dying in the field and leaving her family behind. But those thoughts and feelings, she needed to banish them. Her experience and understanding dictated what a leader should represent and act around her comrades.

He stepped up to Rob and gave him a light tap on his shoulder.

"Good now?"

"Yeah, I'm dandy." He said, the tension and anger seemingly gone now from his features. "Sorry for nearly causing a scene."

"You better thank Ryouma later getting them off your ass." She raised a finger at him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll buy him lunch or something not fake." Rob shrugged.

"Good. Let's get back to work...and try not to piss off our allies anymore, Rob."

"Yes, Wolf Mama." He returned sardonically.

* * *

Author's note: I've decided to move the last two paragraphs to the next chapter since I've decided fixed up errors and continuity bugs I could find.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was later affirmed that the 127th would remain to aid the defense efforts with the IJF. Additional reinforcements would come later down the road. With Kyoto suppressed, the Beta had free reign in their new playground. In October the invasion stagnated with the construction of a new hive on Sadogashima. The brief respite, otherwise met with relief, was instead met with misfortune. At the same time, which could have not come at a worse point, the tension building between the US and Japan finally hit the breaking point. The US withdrew their forces from Japan, citing chain of command problems with the Japanese.

The Beta resumed their onslaught once the new hive was finished. West Kanto fell. defenses were consolidated to Tokyo for the expected push. But... the invaders never came. The Beta instead swung around and centered onto Yokohama. A serendipitous turn of events in the bitter aftermath bought the battle-weary defenders time...but the damage was already inflicted. Nearly half of Japan was overrun by humanity's enemy. The image of an indomitable, unconquerable Empire had been shattered within the length of just a couple of long months. And the spirit of its people; dealt a grievous wound.

When the dust had settled after the Beta rerouted to Yokohama instead, the Storm Wolves were recalled back to Chitose for extended maintenance and rest. They were given time to collect themselves from Kanto and then put on standby to deploy in anticipation to aid the Imperial Army. But as time passed, tensions, while remained high, leveled out to realize that their enemy wasn't going to make a move any time soon.

By November a thick mist of fear and dread settled onto the island and permeated into it along with a thick coat of winter snow. The Beta remained secluded in their newly conquered territory. The Japanese government took measures to relocate their capital from Tokyo to Sendai of the absolute worst case possible. Part of the reason for the move was to soothe opposition that harshly criticized the government for their slow reaction time during Kyoto. IJF Units were placed into defensive positions along the new divide to the rest of Japan, men and women stood steadfast willing to lay down their lives at any cost for when the time came.

In the early morning of the weekend, Yustina stirred from her slumber, groggy and only slightly coherent of her surroundings. She stretched out between the sheets of her bed and eyed around the low lit room. Her mind slowly filled and remembered she was in her quarters. No matter what she tried, her biological system always seemed to awaken her at six. And the weekdays were her preferred days to sleep in. Yustina shifted out of bed and toed over to the latrine. Her skin broke out in goosebumps, yearning to return to the warmth of the sheets.

Flipping on the light made Yustina groan at her reflection in the mirror. Messy hair down from her braid, something like a puffball, and tired bags under her eyes. It was like looking at her younger self waking up for the Saturday morning block. Adam had pushed to get them passes this weekend and the group decided to celebrate it at their usual spot. She only drank a couple of cups of the local drink and now felt like she'd down an entire bottle of bourbon. She splashed water on her face over the sink wake her senses with a jolt, then she groomed herself and got dressed for the day. The forecast was bitterly cold with a snowstorm to occur sometime before Monday. Yustina donned herself in heavy, winter garb; a winter jacket, and a scarf around herself. The only part of her free was her braid. Grabbing her essentials from the nightstand, including an aged letter, she made herself out of the door.

The leafs had shifted from their pleasant warm colors a season ago to an indifferent brown, which ultimately did not take away from the overbearing layer of snow that had blanketed the whole Hokkaido region. All of it reminded her of home. The air so heavy with cold that it made the slightest exhale of breath foggy, the ground so buried with snow that simply walking through it was a challenge. The advent of winter, indifferent to the blight of the island, had come.

The city Chitose was barely considered a town in its hay day and only became a recognized city about twenty or so years before the Beta arrived. Even with the military influx of the UN 11th force pouring into the airbase, fortifying it with installations and bringing in a surplus of the population to it limits, the city never came a size to rival its contemporaries like Tokyo or Kyoto with an equal measure of military involvement. Until recently. The influx of native Japanese fleeing the Beta was spread to the rest of Japan with a fair bit directed into Hokkaido. Overnight the population of cities and small towns quadrupled and adding more to the strain of supplies and living space.

Entertainment, or rather any activities one could partake off duty, was limited. All forms of television, movies, etc, tc, were mandated and approved propaganda by the government. The necessity of information control, keeping the general populace ignorant mostly of the terrestrial horror and pumping them up with messages of valor and the indomitable, infallible human spirit. It was no surprise that some veterans found mainstream entertainment unbearable to stomach after awhile.

Books were another unfortunate causality of war. The Japanese library was already limited before the treaty annulment. Now, accepted American titles were pulled from selves, locked away, or burned.

But a saving grace for a surface pilot was that they were allowed certain privileges the average Japanese civilian weren't. Quartermasters and certain individuals within the logistic chains were often considered the best friends of soldiers for things normally out of reach; books especially. Yustina herself had a few books from home she'd read a few times over, maybe closer to a dozen. It was far better than re-watching a dramatic retelling of modern-day samurai in service out of sheer boredom.

For some people merely being off post, disconnected from the military scene, was appealing enough. Yustina had made plans with their pass. The lone survivor of the Black Knights was taken to the hospital facility in Sapporo and was allowed visitors fairly recently. Yustina hitched a ride downtown via bus stop and footed through the heart of the city to the train station. The rails were moving along as scheduled even with a less than normal crowd funneling through. It was worrying at first if the trains would be shut down due to the weather, but Yustina was glad that wasn't the case. The passenger load was spread along the length of the locomotive, not even enough to fill one car.

The interior was only marginally warmer than the outside. Yustina huddled up in her coat. The other passengers kept to themselves in the car, distancing themselves for one another. The interior was plastered with propaganda posters; recruitment fliers, both UN and IJF alike. Yustina remembered seeing something similar back in the states, just not as flashy or eye-catching. Military recruitment took a back seat to everything else.

The gentle nudge at her boot made Yustina poke out enough from the comfort of her jacket to see the red rubber ball against it. She leaned forward, taking a hand out and picked it up. A small boy, at least wrapped up in two layers of winter clothing, approached her, tentatively.

"[Is this yours?]" Yustina asked, pulling a smile out from beneath her scarf. The small boy nodded. She handed the ball back to the child. "[Be careful next time, sweetie.]"

The young boy smiled wide. He turned to his mother as she moved over to him, who promptly grabbed his hand and lead him out the car and into the next. Yustina watched as the mother hurried away. It was not to be unexpected given the native's proclivities with foreigners. Or perhaps she just didn't want her boy near strangers. It was saddening ..the kid's face reminded her of son's, Aaron. When the train slowed to a halt at the Sapporo station, Yustina was the first out and sought after a taxi to Sapporo's regional hospital.

The city itself was bigger than Chitose, and given the chance, the first choice of many servicemen since there was much more to do there comparison. Sapporo was the biggest city in Hokkaido and was considered its beating heart. Yustina arrived at the Tokushukai hospital later. A security detachment guarded the front to meet new arrivals. She flashed them her ID and was allowed in.

She unloosened the scarf around her neck as the comfort of air-conditioned heat washed over her like a night and day difference.

"[Hello. I'm here to see 2nd Lt Graham, please.]" She told the receptionist behind the counter as she strolled up, offering her military ID.

The nurse gave a glance to the card, took it to process the clearance, and handed back to her.

"[Med-surg. Second floor in room B-3.]"

"[Thank you.]" Yustina gave the polite bow of the head.

The halls of the hospital were tiled a mint green and calm white for the walls. Room signs and directions were labeled in Japanese, a skill she'd admit wasn't her strongest, having to rely on basic recognition for the most part. But she had no trouble finding the elevator. The medical surgery wing was packed more than the other wings, she guessed. Patients garbed in hospital gowns moved about directed by their nurse aids. And it didn't take an ounce of thought to guess the majority were military. Despite it all, the air still smelt clean and distilled. She gave a glancing wave to the MPs that were stationed in-between points the junctions of hallways as she counted the rooms down the corridor.

A-10

B-1...

B-2...

Room B-3

Knocking on the archway outside, Yustina waited for the occupant to respond before showing herself present.

"Yes?"

She stepped in the neatly kept room. The woman was already sitting up, reading a book. Dark blue hair fell all over her shoulders and back free of any ribbon or tie. Her hazelnut eyes focused on her with an inquisitive look.

"I'm 2nd Lieutenant Yustina Telep, Ms, Graham," Yustina introduced herself, stepping inside the patient's room. "You may not remember me, we only met a couple of times face to face. I was 1st Lt Doyle's friend."

Slowly, the other's expression lit up. "Oh! I remember you!"

Yustina was partially speechless by the other's reaction. Maybe because it was the simple fact she was getting a visitor.

"And please, call me Asenath, Yustina. I haven't been on the job in months. No need to be formal." Asenath smiled.

Yustina gave a half-smile and walked closer to the bed. "Very well, Asenath. Anyway, I wanted to stop for a visit. I would have come to a lot earlier if not for current circumstances."

"Yeah, of course. Defending humanity is a very busy job," Asenath gave a light hearty chuckle. "Is this a courtesy visit or...?"

"Courtesy," Yustina said.

"Ah, so what can I do you for, Yustina?"

She paused, lacking words for a moment. "I just wanted to pay my respects, and to see how you were doing, Asenath. If you are comfortable with that."

"Not at all," The other smiled warmly. "Let's go walk and talk." And without much of a response from Yustina, threw off the bedsheets and grabbed a pair of crutches from behind the curtain close to the bed.

"Will it be alright with the staff?" Yustina asked, and cautiously looked over her shoulder.

"They don't mind. We're just heading to the physical therapy ward since I need to be there later." Asenath told her. She slipped into a pair of slippers and rested herself against the crutches

"Sure, I suppose." Yustina agreed, seeing no real harm in doing so.

The two slowly walked the corridors of the hospital in conversation. Yustina was mindful of her speed with the other, though Asenath seemed to be just as fast regardless. It was probably the pent up energy of being hospitalized for such awhile.

"I'm glad you decided to come over, Yustina. I take it you couldn't come earlier with your pals?" Asenath asked.

Yustina raised a brow, "Who was it...wait, was it Rob?"

"And Olivia," the other explained. "They were telling me about old training stories about your group's earlier days. Olivia, in particular, was going on about this one incident at the range."

"Oh, Lord..." Yustina muttered, trying to avert her eyes.

Asenath slightly laughed. "Too embarrassing?"

"When are older days not embarrassing for someone?" Yustina said. "But if you liked we could do that." She offered, ceding to the possibility.

"I would like to do it over at a bar but that probably won't happen anytime soon," Asenath said.

Yustina hummed in agreement. " You seem to be holding up well for yourself." She noted, seeing the lack of a cast or a splint. The comment might've been interpreted wrongly, but Asenath beamed with a grin.

"You think so? My good leg's still a little weak, which is why I'm on these. But they said I don't need to be in the boot."

"That's good to hear," Yustina added. Her injuries didn't seem that severe. The doctors patched her up good.

"So, since you don't mind me asking, you were all a tight group back then? With Doyle I mean."

"Yeah. We were pretty tightly knit all of us, even when the instructors sifted our groups. Doyle always ended up as a runner of some sort for us. We learned to win together, but whenever something ad happened, it was us leaders that got into trouble."

"Heh, the way your friends went on seemed you were the head honcho?" Asenath pointed out.

Yustina gave a light chuckle. "Of course not. I was the back seat driver. No matter how many times they shifted our groups, It was me always in second."

The old memory brought a faint smile to her. All of them, wide-eyed youths that thought they knew better, enlisting to fight a war they had only heard about. When they had graduated they were dispersed into the 57th battalion, and she ended up in the Storm Wolves with some of her pals. Yustina remembered the first time seeing her own F-16, like opening a toy box and in-taking the factory plastic smell. Her smile faded, memories replaced happy nostalgia with news of Doyle's death on an escort assignment in China. Many faces faded in that land.

"Something wrong?"

Yustina broke out of her thoughts and shook her head. "Just reminiscing, that's all."

The two women arrived at the physical therapy ward. They found a bench and sat down, Yustina offering and laying Asenath's crutches to the side of them.

"So where are you from?" The other asked. "That is if you don't mind me asking that as well."

Yustina was a bit surprised by the inquiry. It was one she didn't get very often. "I don't mind, but why the interest?"

"Curiosity, mainly." Asenath smiled. "I had pegged you for European from one of the Slavic nations from your name alone, but your accent is different?"

Yustina hummed and wondered if her cadence of speech was that noticeable. "How observant, " She remarked. "You caught me, I'm from North America."

Asenath's face lit up. "...Wait, really?"

"Yep. I'm a fourth-generation descendant of Russian immigrants."

"And you decided to leave home and join the UN?"

"I wanted to fight the good fight," Yustina shrugged. "Home didn't offer that, not in the way I wanted."

"It baffles me to why someone with American citizenship would toss it aside for this?" Asenath admitted.

Yustina creased her mouth. "You make it sound like its something special."

"A lot of people would kill just to have citizenship there," Asenath added. "For a lot of folks, it's unthinkable for an American to leave their home willingly to fight under a foreign lag."

"Oh, I can tell you for sure there are exceptions," Yustina returned inappropriate sarcasm."And now since we've made a big deal about it, how about you? Where do you hail from, Asenath?"

The other gave a polite smile, "I'm from the British isle, but my mother is from the Nile."

Yustina nodded, "I see. Why didn't you stay and join up with the European Front, then?"

"Honestly? I wanted to see Japan." Asenath told her with a smile. "I still remember the old tag lines the UN recruiters used. In the end, I got to see some of the world."

Yustina smirked, shaking her head, recalling the first time she saw a UN recruitment poster and just how much forward and blunt it compared to others. Not blunt enough in her opinion."That comes standard with the job. Personally, when I enlisted, I wanted to go to the 1st Force to stay at Dover. But I guess God had other plans and I got sent here, which I guess was the case for a lot of recruits."

"Who knows, maybe you'll go someday."

"When pigs fly." Yustina paused for a moment. "When do you suppose they'll let you out, Asenath?"

Asenath gave an unsure shrug. "A month or so. It's just a matter where they can use me."

"You'll be back in the air in no time, Asenath," Yustina offered with a supportive smile. The other looked at her puzzled for a moment, as if Yustina said something alien to.

"Ouh!" She reached and pulled back the hospital garment from her left leg, revealing its bareness to the other. But the markings were distinct now that Yustina could get a closer look at them, distinguished shapes on the side of her upper thigh. "It's hard to tell huh? They make them like the real thing." She flexed, the limb barely registering enough to move. "The nerves are a different matter..."

Yustina held her breath. Of course...why didn't she see it earlier? It wasn't an unheard-of thing for patients to crutch around with splints or walking boots, and she just assumed she was recovering well enough.

"Hey, it's fine," Asenath said as if reading the guilt on her face. "If it fooled you, I considered that a good thing. The doctors said the mesh between my nerves and the prosthetic will improve over time, but my days as a surface pilot are shot."

Yustina lowered her gaze the bit. "My condolences, Asenath."

The other smiled warmly. "My F-16 was wrecked from the chest down. I'm just glad to have my life. That's more than...a a lot of people can say."

There was a pause in the conversation. "Do you know where you might end up at? Even as a guess?"

"Logistics I hear tends to be the go too for clipped pilots. I did hear about CP, though."

"[Ms. Graham, its time for your therapy.]" One of the nurses interrupted the pair as she walked up, her brow furled sternly.

Recognizing the hint, Yustina rose up and readjusted her scarf for the good. "I pray you have a smooth recovery, Asenath. I'll try to visit again when I can, though I have no idea when that could be."

"Of course," the other nodded understandingly, her gentle smile never fading. "Thanks for coming over. I appreciate it"

Yustina nodded and turned to move.

"One last thing."

She stopped and faced the other.

"Did we do a good job back there in Kyoto?"

The question gave her pause, or rather, the manner of which it was asked. "...Yeah. Our efforts saved a lot of lives. The Japanese were grateful for our help." Yustina told her.

"That's good." There was a glint in her eye, her smile somewhat faded somberly as the nurse came to her side to help her up. "I'm just thankful that everyone's sacrifice wasn't for not."

Yustina watched as Asenath and her aid went about before leaving herself.

On the ride back to Chitose felt colder. Yustina had joined the practice in residing to herself purposely from the other occupants, secluded in silence and deep in thought. The cold didn't even phase her. She with all good intent to visit a fellow soldier and was reminded of the often too terrible costs of the profession. Yustina chastised herself. What did she honestly expect when she walked inside that hospital? The cruelest thing that could be done to a Surface Pilot was to take away their ability to fly. Prosthesis that don't mesh well, genetic conditions that weaken the body to the assault of the laws of physics inside the cockpit, bodily ailments that modern medicine couldn't cure. To be rendered unfit to fight. Death was a crueler fate by far, but it was more considerate in its absolution.

She could see it...behind the warm smile and demeanor that Asenath put up, the sadness and frustration, the inability to act marred with the anger of lost friends. It was a reality of the job that all had to accept in their way. The fight for survival would not be a pretty, or a kind venture. Her gaze drifted upward toward the ceiling of the train. And found a newer meaning to the many Imperial Recruitment posters plastered above the window. Bold, white words stamped across a red outlay with an Imperial Japanese Soldier giving a crisp salute.

'Enlist in the Imperial Force today!'

'Fight the enemy of mankind!'

'Serve your country with honor and pride! For the Shogunate, for the Emperor!'

Her mouth twisted with bitterness. It was a little bit after she enlisted, she remembered, that the Japanese Government revised their Military Service Act to conscript women over the age of eighteen. Soon after that, the overall conscription age was lowered for both sexes. The nightmare scenario was real for the land of the rising sun. With the enemy sleeping at their doorstep, Japan was ever more need of every able-bodied citizen to contribute to the war effort.

Yustina leaned forward and took a careful around the sparsely filled car. It had donned on her the severe lack of young men among the populace. The only ones she'd met were pressed into service already; most were young men barely in their twenties...and some not even hitting eighteen yet. Men were becoming scarcer. Her gaze consciously drifted over to a pair of young women chatting in the back of the car, minding to themselves. No less than fifteen perhaps? She felt her mouth bitter up and averted her eyes. She didn't want to think about it, the reality of war that would be forced upon young people rather than letting them choose for themselves.

For any person of sound mind, it was logical. The Earth had been battling the Beta for almost forty years. With Countless deaths the need for manpower becoming more demanding. For places like Europe and Asia, the mixes of the sexes was already a part of daily life. But comparatively, it was still a fresh change for the Japanese. If the human race had any prayer of winning; everyone capable would need to fight, and if need be, age and maturity be damned.

She halted herself in thought, realizing that the chain of thought only succeeded in depressing herself. No, it wouldn't help to focus on the negatives like that. Her thoughts drifted to William and Aaron and then her hand slipped into the inner coat pocket to pull out the letter. It was an old letter by a few months, and the last one she received from home. Processing mail through military channels was never fast, and the war made it even slower than a snail's pace. Yustina read it over a few times...but she found comfort in it, reading the words from her dear husband back home.

The train shifted with a halt, shaking the young woman out of her train of thought. Back in Chitose. She stuffed the letter back in and hurried out when the doors slid open. Instead of returning to post, Yustina decided to drop by the bar the group frequent the most. The Shimmering Sun, as UN personal came to call much to the chagrin of the owner, was a favorite spot off base. It was one of the places that sold real food and drinks, at a premium. It was past noon and she had no desire to back to her room and perhaps re-read the Starship Soldier for the fifth time. She had taken a table in the corner for herself. The bar was was somberly quiet but still carried more life in it than the train did. In the corner of the ceiling was a flickering television, black and white...probably vacuum tube-powered if she had to guess.

She had ordered some vegetable stew and was mildly tuning in and out from the television. The show was a kid's program...Chop-kun or something. It was propaganda for young kids, and probably something she wouldn't allow her son to watch. Yustina unraveled the scarf around her neck and pulled out the letter from before.

_Dear_ Yustina

_I pray my letters are getting to you promptly this time. We're doing fine. Aaron is doing fine. He misses his mother, which I can relate to. He started drawing TSFs again, I think he tried to draw yours. We've been going through some of my childhood books to try and get him reading._

_As for myself, I'm doing fine, health-wise. The doctor said I've been doing pretty well and my condition is in recession. A nod to modern medicine's favor. Prayer never hurts as well._

_It's probably old news when you've got this but there was a demonstration again in town. Nothing really bad happened. Some college kids chained themselves to a statue downtown in consolidation with refugees. The police came and broke it up. No violence or destruction of property. I pray it remains like that with the craziness of the world going on outside of the country. _

_I know it must be tough over there where you're at right now. And my prayers go out to do._

_Love you_

_William Telep._

"Fancy meeting you here." Yustina lifted up her gaze to find Adam sitting down across from her. He was dressed in heavier clothing with a snow cap. "How are you doing, Mrs. Telep?"

"Well enough," Yustina said. "You look like that guy from the boxer movie."

"Ah, ya saw that?" Adam gave a small laugh, consciously touching the top of his head. "Reading a letter from home?"

"Yeah," She folded the paper back into her inner pocket. "It's an old one. No new letters, yet."

"What a shame," He took a seat down across from her. "Enjoying your leave?"

She nodded, "I visited Ms. Graham today."

"Ah, Doyle's friend. How was she?"

"She seemed rather pleasant, all things considered," Yustina said. She couldn't help but frown a bit at the thought. "It's a shame hearing about her condition."

"Yeah, so I heard. its a bad deal all around," Adam agreed.

"Is there nothing that can be done for her?" She inquired, her hands folding together unconsciously.

Adam's brow furled with uncertainty. "Don't know. The human body is a miraculous machine onto itself, depending on your view. Modern medicine's come a long way since the second world war, but it can only do so much."

She hummed wearily, her eyes dipping to the table. "What will happen to her?"

"Most likely case?" He shrugged. "They'll either put her through CP school, given her experiences. Worse case, she'll end in logistics. A bad leg's going to put her out of any combat role."

She remained silent.

"Try to find some hobbies, get your mind off of work. That's what leave is for." Adam suggested.

"We're not exactly in the best atmosphere for that, Adam. If you haven't noticed the near choking fog of dread lately." Yustina pointed out.

"Could get with the others?" He suggested.

"I made the mistake of sparing with Ryouma once and hurt my wrist. And Rob and Olivia have been hanging out with each other more recently. The last thing I want is to feel like a third wheel." Yustina returned. "And then there's you and whatever you do. Besides, being work minded off the job can be considered a good asset."

"Yeah, but I also know when to cut loose when I need to." Adam gave a light chuckle.

She shook her head. "Only you, Captain."

"Besides, since we're here at the table together, I might as well tell you now." This was enough to draw her gaze up from the table.

"Major Wegnar is coming down for a visit next week," Adam explained. "He's going to give us a rundown of future plans, what higher leadership plans to do. Give us a course of direction."

She cocked a brow. "That's good to hear, but I don't see the cause of telling me beforehand."

"I'm getting to that," Adam said. "We'll know more about it this Monday, but we're getting a new man in. He's personally bringing the papers. Which means we'll have enough for a second flight...which I am putting you in charge of."

Yustina paused for a moment. "Did I hear that right? Command is gracing us with reinforcements?"

"Reinforcement, singular," Adam repeated. "And really? That's the thing you picked out from heading a second flight?"

"Well, its not like I wasn't doing that already and watching overgrown adults," Yustina smirked. " The way we're juggling formation as needed is pretty much the same in all but name. We're just making it official. Plus, it makes sense since I am the XO. I don't see you making a third flight to fill it with two people."

Adam smiled and nodded. "I'm glad you're for it."

The waitress came placed down her order onto her table; vegetable soup. The broth was an almond color, oily, salty. Very plain in every aspect, but it smelt a helluva lot better than cafeteria food. Yustina picked up her utensils and noting that the waitress also laid down the same for her Captain.

Adam gave her a look. "What? I ordered a little bit ago."

The two began digging into their meals.

"So, any idea of whom I will get for Bravo flight?" She asked, now interested in the prospect.

"I know for sure that you'll get the new guy. I want you to help him to train him up." Adam explained. "For the third seat? I'm not sure yet."

Yustina crooked a grin, "I see how it is, Captain. Officially give me my own flight and dump the new guy on me. Somehow this seems like you shelving responsibility onto your poor XO."

Adam chuckled in-between spoon fulls, "That's the privilege of being CO. You'll get there one day when you are leading your own squadron."

Yustina laughed and smiled, "Please, Adam. Don't curse me like that. I prefer to drive from the back seat."

* * *

Author's Note: I think this is the fastest I ever got a chapter out of anything. After this, I think I'll take a break a small break from this before working on chapter four. Please enjoy.


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